B2B Sales and Marketing Benchmark Report 2018

To be super successful in the cut-throat world of B2B sales, there’s no sitting still. You need to constantly be looking at ways to move forward, whether it’s enhancing your product or service, improving its delivery, or streamlining your operations to become an ultra-efficient, revenue generating machine.

Commercial awareness is key – that means being able to recognize where potential threats may lie, but also being able to spot and capitalize on any opportunities as they arise.

Planning and setting clear objectives is essential and many strategic decisions will need to be made along the way, including where best to focus all available resources and budget, to generate the greatest potential return.

But how can you confidently make such decisions and what should you base them on?

While sadly there is no magic ball that can let you see into the future, what you can call on are industry trends and data, your own learnings and the advice and insights of your peers. And we’ve got just the thing to help you.

Whether you’re starting to think about next year’s strategy, or just want to know what’s happening out there, the report is packed with valuable data.

It offers ambitious teams an insight into what it’s like to be working in B2B sales and marketing right now. From the latest trends, tactics and channels that teams are using, to where budgets are being spent to generate the greatest payback.

Sales and marketing professionals from businesses big and small took part in the research, revealing what has got their pulses racing, as well as what is keeping them awake at night.

The report covers questions such as: What are the main challenges facing sales and marketing teams today? And importantly, what golden opportunities may there be on the horizon? And where are sales and marketing teams planning to focus their time and budgets in 2018?

So, if your business is hungry for success and you want to stay ahead of the curve, then it will be valuable food for thought.

To give you an insight into the findings, here we’ve pulled together a quick snapshot of some of the top takeaways coming out of the report. You can download the report in full by clicking here.

B2B organizations are under pressure from competitors, with 41% saying that increased competition is the main threat to their business in 2018.

2. Lead generation remains the greatest challenge

Generating quality leads remains a top priority for most businesses, with 50% of respondents revealing it to be their greatest challenge.

3. Expanding into new markets is top of the agenda in 2018

Nearly half (47%) of businesses surveyed reveal they are aiming to grow and expand into new markets in 2018, while 34% believe their biggest opportunity is in existing territories.

4. Having the right tools in place is a must

Making use of the best tools is vital for modern B2B sales and marketing teams, with 30% of businesses planning to invest in lead generation software in 2018.

Eager to learn more?

For even more great insights, including the top tactics teams will be using in 2018 and how much teams will be spending on their marketing, check out the full report by downloading it here.

And for more inspiration and expert advice on all areas of B2B sales and marketing, you’ll find more great blogs in our learning zone, including practical tips on driving success in every aspect of the sales process. For example, take a look at: